Steve Abraham, Director & President/CEO and founder of WILL, is a Washington DC native.  In 2003, Steve left the practice of law to bring his vision for WILL to District youth from underserved neighborhoods.  Steve’s passion for giving back and to working with youth is evidenced by his volunteer activities with programs at high schools and tutoring and coaching throughout his career. Among his many community involvements, Steve currently serves on the Boards of The Aaron Straus & Lillie Straus Foundation, The Camp Airy and Camp Louise Foundation, and the Landon School Alumni Association, and previously served on the Boards of the Washington and Lee University Alumni Association, the Multi-Cultural Intern Program and the Decade Society.  Steve is honored to be a member of the Leadership Greater Washington Class of 2012. On June 6, 2008, Steve was presented the Amigo of the Year Award by Principal Maria Tukeva at the Bell Multicultural High School’s 23rd Annual Scholarship Benefit Gala, and October 23, 2014, Steve was humbled to be chosen as one of five Washington, DC Scottish Rite Community Service Award Recipients. (2003 to present)

Matt Fleming, Director & Chair of the Board, is a Portfolio Manager with Brown Advisory. He works with numerous charitable organizations and families to help them meet their financial and investment objectives. Prior to working at Brown Advisory, Matt worked at Alex. Brown Investment Management and ICI Mutual. He graduated from Virginia Tech and earned an MBA from Loyola University in Baltimore. Matt enjoys outdoor activities such as hiking and biking, and, from his own children, has seen the positive impact that outdoor activities can have on youth. He looks forward to helping WILL grow and to providing WILL’s programming to more DC youth in the years ahead. (2020 to present)

Raysa Leer, Director & Vice-Chair of the Board, is Deputy Chief Operating Officer at the University of the District of Columbia (UDC). She manages the review and enhancement of institutional operational processes to drive organizational efficiency and improve productivity. Prior to this role, she was the Director for Administration and Finance at the UDC Community College, managing all financial operations of the college. Raysa is a graduate of The University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and a earned an MBA in management from UDC. She is a strong supporter of experiential learning and the four pillars that provide structure and support for the WILL experience. Raysa is excited to assist WILL grow and to support its work with DC youth. (2021 to present)

Greg Ossi, Director & Treasurer, is a partner at Norton Rose Fulbright in Washington, DC. Greg’s practice focuses on solving human resource problems with a particular emphasis on employee benefits and traditional labor law. Prior to becoming an attorney, he worked as a CPA for Ernst & Young. Greg has been pro bono counsel for several metro DC area non-profits that seek to empower youth to find academic success and to give them the confidence and skills to succeed in life. Greg looks forward to serving on the WILL Board to continue supporting DC youth and WILL’s positive impact in their lives. (2019 to present)

John Van Etten, Director & Secretary, is Executive Director for Federal Government Relations at JP Morgan Chase & Co., and represents the company before policymakers on a broad range of banking issues. His previous experience includes representing other leading financial firms and trade associations, working for a member of the U.S. House of Representatives, and practicing banking law with a large U.S. law firm. He is a graduate of University of California, San Diego, and the Georgetown University Law Center. John grew up in the Sierra Nevada Mountains backpacking, fishing, climbing, and snowboarding. His desire to help DC youth similarly experience the benefits and lessons that come from spending time engaged in outdoor activities drew him to WILL. (2020 to present)

Brian Pellegrini, Director, is Vice President at Varian. Varian is a leading provider in medical radiation applications – including technical expertise for consultation, development, staffing and management for clinics and hospitals that provide radiation services. Previously, Brian was the Chief Operating Officer at Optum Advisory Services where he oversaw the firm’s healthcare consulting work. Prior to this work, he helped launch and build the supply chain consulting business for the Advisory Board. A veteran operations improvement and supply chain executive, Brian has a strong track record of managing change and delivering significant year-over-year results for his clients and has extensive experience serving hospitals and health systems across the U.S. Brian graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology with a BS in Mechanical Engineering in 1997. Brian is an active outdoor enthusiast who loves rock climbing, cycling, and triathlons. He sees the importance of expanding environmental and cultural awareness in today’s world and has seen the impact that WILL has on the youth it serves. (2017 to present)

Rose Stefany Quispe, Director, is a first-grade teacher at Oyster-Adams Bilingual School in DC and is a proud WILL alum (3rd WILL Class). Since 2016, she has taught math and Spanish at Oyster; prior to that, Rose taught English at Carlos Rosario Charter School to recent adult immigrants. A native of Lima, Peru, Rose came to the United States and DC when she was 13. Rose graduated from Bell Multicultural High School, received a BA in International Relations from Colgate University and a Master’s in Education Policy from the University of Illinois. Both for the life lessons WILL taught her and the love for the outdoors that it inspired in her, Rose regards WILL as one of the most enriching and rewarding experiences of her life – an experience she wants to help make possible for more DC youth. (2022 to present)

Luke Sobota, Director, is a founding partner of Three Crowns, a global law firm dedicated to international arbitration. He represents private and sovereign clients in some of their most important commercial, investor-state, and inter-state arbitrations. Luke is also active in cause-based work aimed at defending and supporting basic human rights. Given the transformative effect WILL has had and has on the lives of so many underserved DC youth, Luke is honored to support and promote WILL in its important and inspiring work. (2019 to present)

Scott Wohlander, Director, is Chief Strategy Officer at Coverent, a data analytics solutions provider to the United States Government. An entrepreneur and academic, Dr. Wohlander has focused his career on the development of innovative, scientific approaches to help mission-driven organizations measure the impact of their programs. Outside of work, he is a backpacking and camping enthusiast who has seen the power of the outdoors as a platform for learning and personal development. Scott is honored to join the WILL Board and is excited to contribute to the organization’s important mission. (2023 to present)

In Memorium.